


TAIL(1L)          MISC. REFERENCE MANUAL PAGES           TAIL(1L)



NAME
     tail - output the last part of files

SYNOPSIS
     tail [-c [+]N[bkm]]  [-n  [+]N]  [-fqv]  [--bytes=[+]N[bkm]]
     [--lines=[+]N]  [--follow]  [--quiet] [--silent] [--verbose]
     [file...]

     tail [{-,+}Nbcfklmqv] [file...]

DESCRIPTION
     This manual page documents the GNU version  of  tail.   tail
     prints  the  last  part  (10 lines by default) of each given
     file; it reads from standard input if no files are given  or
     when  a  filename  of  `-' is encountered.  If more than one
     file is given, it prints a header consisting of  the  file's
     name  enclosed in `==>' and `<==' before the output for each
     file.

     The GNU tail can output any amount of data, unlike the  Unix
     version,  which  uses  a  fixed  size  buffer.  It has no -_r
     option (print in reverse).  Reversing a  file  is  really  a
     different  job from printing the end of a file; the BSD tail
     can only reverse files that are at  most  as  large  as  its
     buffer,  which is typically 32k.  A reliable and more versa-
     tile way to reverse files is the GNU tac command.

  OPTIONS
     tail accepts two option  formats:  the  new  one,  in  which
     numbers  are  arguments  to  the option letters, and the old
     one, in which a `+' or `-' and optional number  precede  any
     option letters.

     If a number (`N') starts with a `+',  tail  begins  printing
     with  the  Nth  item from the start of each file, instead of
     from the end.

     -_c _N, --_b_y_t_e_s _N
          Tail by N bytes.  N is a  nonzero  integer,  optionally
          followed  by one of the following characters to specify
          a different unit.

          b    512-byte blocks.

          k    1-kilobyte blocks.

          m    1-megabyte blocks.

     -_f, --_f_o_l_l_o_w
          Loop forever trying to read more characters at the  end
          of  the  file, on the assumption that the file is grow-
          ing.  Ignored if reading from a pipe.  Cannot  be  used



Sun Release 4.1           Last change:                          1






TAIL(1L)          MISC. REFERENCE MANUAL PAGES           TAIL(1L)



          if more than one file is given.

     -_l, -_n _N, --_l_i_n_e_s _N
          Tail by N lines.

     -_q, --_q_u_i_e_t, --_s_i_l_e_n_t
          Never print filename headers.

     -_v, --_v_e_r_b_o_s_e
          Always print filename headers.

     The long-named options can be introduced with `+' as well as
     `--',  for compatibility with previous releases.  Eventually
     support for `+' will be removed, because it is  incompatible
     with the POSIX.2 standard.








































Sun Release 4.1           Last change:                          2



